Jackson completes charity bike ride

TUSCALOOSA, ALABAMA — Bo Jackson's 480-km bike ride across Alabama ended Saturday in Tuscaloosa, with the Heisman Trophy winner having raised more than $413,000 so far to help victims of last spring's tornado outbreaks.

The ride — dubbed "Bo Bikes Bama" — crossed the finish line in Tuscaloosa around 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The ride passed through some of the communities hit hardest by more than 60 twisters that destroyed thousands of homes and businesses and killed about 250 people on April 27, 2011. In Tuscaloosa, more than 50 deaths were blamed on a tornado.

Hundreds joined Jackson for the ride, including celebrities such as Lance Armstrong, former major leaguer Ken Griffey Jr. and NBA star Scottie Pippen. Riders could join Jackson for $200 a day. Each of the five bikes he rode will be auctioned.

"We've had fun this week," Jackson said "I've gotten to know people that I would have never gotten to know. And it's things like when you're driving down the road, even though these people have lost a lot, they're out on their front porches."

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BYU completes largest rally in tourney history

DAYTON, Ohio — With his team in the midst of the biggest comeback in NCAA tournament history, BYU coach Dave Rose caught the look in his players' eyes and was reassured.

A rally for the ages was in the making.

Noah Hartsock scored 16 of his 23 points in the second half and the Cougars came back from 25 points down to beat Iona 78-72 in the first round Tuesday night.

During a timeout after the Cougars had pared the lead to single digits midway through the second half, Rose saw something he'll never forget.

"The look in our players' eyes at that time was, 'Game on. We've got a chance here,' " Rose said. "And we were able to finish it off."

Brandon Davies added 18 points and Damarcus Harrison 12 for the 14th-seeded Cougars (26-8), who advanced to play third-seeded Marquette on Thursday.

It marked the biggest comeback in an NCAA tournament game, the organization said. Previously, the largest deficit overcome was 22 points in 2001 when Duke fought back to beat Maryland 95-84 in the national semifinals.

Hartsock was a little hurt that President Barack Obama, who watched the early game in Dayton, wasn't around to see the fireworks.

"I started looking around and didn't see him," Hartsock said with a grin. "But I'm sure he had some important things to take care of."

DAYTON, Ohio — So many things happened in those five final, furious minutes that Western Kentucky coach Ray Harper had trouble taking it all in.

"Wow," he said, his face still flush with March emotion. "I don't know where to begin."

The only team with a losing record in the NCAA tournament got it started with a classic March comeback — in front of a presidential audience, no less. T.J. Price's three-point play with 33 seconds to go completed the Hilltoppers' rally from a 16-point deficit over the last 5 minutes for a 59-58 victory over Mississippi Valley State on Tuesday night.

President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron had front-row seats to see the tournament open with a ragged game that had a record ending. It was the biggest margin overcome by a team in the final 5 minutes to win an NCAA tournament game, the organization said.

"It's a crazy feeling," said Derrick Gordon, who had 11 points. "That's the president of the United States coming to watch our game. We wanted to put on a show. Things didn't work our way for the first 35 minutes, but we came away with the W."

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Russian completes Monaco takeover

MONTE CARLO — Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev completed his takeover of Monaco on Friday and promised to invest a minimum of ?100 million ($130 million) in the struggling club over the next four years.

Monaco announced on its website that Rybolovlev's company Monaco Sport Invest (MSI) had become majority shareholder with 66.67 percent.

"I think this club has enormous potential," Rybolovlev said of the seven-time French champion which is currently bottom of the second tier with one win in 18 games.

"I hope that it will be able to realize that potential fully and completely, at both national and European level."

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